What is the median household income in Catawba?

The median household income in Catawba, SC is $50,920 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 12.6%.

What is the weather like in Catawba, SC?

Catawba has an average high temperature of 53.5°F in January and 90.7°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 45.4 inches and annual snowfall averages 2.6 inches.

Catawba, SC Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Catawba, SC affordable or expensive?

Catawba's cost of living index is 97, where 100 represents the national average. This means Catawba is 3% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is N/A and the median rent is $863 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Catawba, SC?

Catawba has a violent crime rate of 277.6 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1627.2 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Q: What are the schools like in Catawba, SC?

School district data for Catawba is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Is Catawba, SC a Good Place to Live?

Catawba is a small town of 1,439 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $50,920 and a 12.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Catawba's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Catawba is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Catawba city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 97.0

Catawba's overall cost of living index is 97.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Catawba costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric	Catawba, SC	National Avg
Median Home Value	N/A	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$863	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	81.6%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$50,920	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Catawba's violent crime rate is 277.6 per 100,000 residents — 27% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

277.6 /100k

Property Crime

1627.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Catawba, SC	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	32.6%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	85.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Catawba sees average highs of 53.5°F in January and 90.7°F in July, with 45.4 inches of annual precipitation and 2.6 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Catawba, SC
Average High — January	53.5°F
Average High — July	90.7°F
Annual Precipitation	45.4"
Annual Snowfall	2.6"

Demographics

Metric	Catawba, SC	National Avg
Population	1,439	—
Median Age	32.7	38.9
Unemployment Rate	12.6%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	40.4 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	69.6%	59.3%
Black or African American	22.8%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.8%	18.9%
Asian	3.8%	6.3%
Under 18	31.1%	22.2%
65 and over	3.5%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lesslie, SC 4 mi Van Wyck, SC 4 mi JAARS, NC 9 mi Rock Hill, SC 10 mi Fort Lawn, SC 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Catawba

Catawba, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

29704

Catawba vs Other Cities

Catawba, SC vs Lesslie, SC Catawba, SC vs Van Wyck, SC Catawba, SC vs JAARS, NC Catawba, SC vs Rock Hill, SC Catawba, SC vs Fort Lawn, SC

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Catawba, SC affordable or expensive?

Catawba's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Catawba roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is N/A and median rent is $863/month.

What is the crime rate in Catawba, SC?

Catawba's violent crime rate is 277.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1627.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Catawba?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Catawba, SC a good place to live?

Catawba, SC has a population of 1,439, a median household income of $50,920, and an unemployment rate of 12.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Catawba?

Catawba averages 53.5°F in January and 90.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.4 inches with about 2.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Catawba?

Catawba, SC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 29704.

What is the population of Catawba?

The population of Catawba, South Carolina is 1,439 with a median age of 32.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Catawba?

Key numbers for living in Catawba: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home N/A, median household income $50,920, crime index 75 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Catawba side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.